Assembly machine containing vacuum breaker valve



A ril'21, 1970 y I e. KELLY 0 I ASSEMBLY MACHINE CONTAINING VACUUMBREAKER VALVE Filed April 1967 ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,507,030ASSEMBLY MACHINE CONTAINING VACUUM BREAKER VALVE Guy L. Kelly, KansasCity, Kans., assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporation ofDelaware Filed Apr. 19, 1967, Ser. No. 631,964 Int. Cl. B23p 19/04 U.S.'Cl. 29208 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An assembly machine containing avacuum breaking valve assembly having two members, each of which has atleast one smooth face, the members being juxtapositioned with the smoothface of one member facing, and in closed position, engaging the smoothface of the other member, the said members being hinged or otherwiseheld together at adjacent ends thereof, to permit them to move away fromand toward each other,said members being spring biased toward eachother, at least one of said members being machined or drilled to provideusing them both when in engaged relationship a continuous passage, saidvalve being adapted to be placed into a suction line and therein tobreak suction when a face is pivoted or moved away from the other aswhen an extended portion of one member is acted on by a physical force;in one embodiment in the assembly machine the valve serving to breaksuction in a paper disc and ring assembly mechanism wherein the paperdisc is carried by a suction actuated device to the ring for placementtherein upon breaking of suction by said valve as it is acted on bybringing said ring into assembly position of the assembly machine. In anow preferred modification, both members of the valve are machined ordrilled to provide a continuous passageway which is broken when themembers are separated.

VACUUM BREAKER VALVE AND MACHINE CONTAINING THE SAME This inventionrelates to an assembly machine comprising a vacuum breaker valve.

In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a novel assembly machinecomprising a novel vacuum breaker valve adapted to be acted upon as by acomponent to which is to be furnished a further component for assemblyof the two components. In another of its aspects, the invention relatesto an assembly machine embodying said valve, said machine being adaptedby virtue of operation of said valve to bring into assembledrelationship at least two components of a final assembled structure.

In one of its concepts, the invention provides in an assembly machine avacuum breaker valve comprising essentially two members, each having asmooth face, the members being juxtapositioned and hinged at one oftheir ends, and spring biased, so that the smooth faces are brought intoengaging relationship each with the other, at least one of said membersbeing machined or drilled to provide, when said members are injuxtaposition, a continuous passageway through the mass of thejuxtapositioned members, and when both of said members are machined ordrilled to provide a continuous passage through both of said members andthrough the engaged faces, the valve being adapted to open against thespring bias as when an extended portion of one of said members isphysically acted on while the other member is held in fixed position. Inanother of its concepts, the invention provides an assembly machine,embodying said vacuum breaker valve, said machine essentially comprisinga support stand, an assembly component supply chute fixed to an upperend of said stand, a rack and pinion gear assembly fixed to a midportionof said stand, and at the 3 Claims ice gear end thereof positioned belowsaid assembly component supply chute, an extension mounted upon saidrack at one end being engaged by an actuating arm and at its otherengaging said pinion gear and an extension also engaging said piniongear and adapted to move therewith, said last extension being drilledand adapted to provide at its swinging end a suction and at one end ofits swing to reach to said assembly component supply chute and at theother end of its swing to deposit an assembly component sucked from saidsupply chute into assembled relationship with another assemblycomponent; a vacuum breaker valve attached to said stand and adapted torespond to break vacuum whenever a said another component is in positionof receiving a first mentioned assembly component, the suction throughsaid vacuum breaker valve being connected to said extension engaging andswinging by action of said pinion gear.

In the high speed operation of machines for assembling componentseconomically and in fool proof manner, it is necessary on a split secondtiming basis to reach for, to convey, and to position an assemblycomponent together with another assembly component. This is done in manyinstances employing a suction device and it follows that the suctiondevice must be rendered operative to produce suction and to breaksuction rapidly and effectively. Further, such valves are desirably soconstructed and arranged as to be easily cleaned and preferablynon-clogging in character so that use over an extended period of timewith proper results will be assured.

Thus, the aspects, concepts and objects of the invention as it has beendescribed for disclosure purposes consonant with the law and practicethereunder, can be various and include modifications, a principal objectof the invention being to provide an assembly machine comprising a novelvacuum breaker valve structure or assembly while another being toprovide a non-clogging vacuum breaker structure or assembly in saidmachine having a design simplicity such that it can be machined orotherwise structured with minimum expense and expenditure of highlyskilled labor. A further object of the invention is to provide such avalve in combination with assembly machines in which as described hereinrapid assembly of parts which are suction carried is to be accomplished.

Other aspects, concepts and advantages of the invention are apparentfrom a study of this disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.

According to the invention, there is provided in an assembly machine asherein described a vacuum breaker valve assembly comprised of two valvebodies, each having a smooth or ground surface preferably but notnecessarily being planar, the bodies being juxtapositioned with the saidsurfaces adjacent to or engaging each other, the bodies being hinged ator near one end thereof to permit the said surface on each, i.e. theirfaces, to pivot toward and away from each other, at least one of thebodies preferably at a position removed from said hinge being machinedor drilled so as to provide a continuous passageway through the mass ofsaid bodies when in juxtaposition and when both of said bodies aremachined or drilled as through said faces providing through them andsaid faces, said bodies being spring biased toward each other so thatthe faces will tend to remain engaged, one of said bodies beingsupported or mounted in a fixed relation to an apparatus in which thevalve is to function and the other of said bodies being so furtherconstructed and arranged so as to respond to a :force acting thereon tomove its face away from the face of the mounted body.

Although the bodies or members of the valve of the assembly machine ofthe invention are described as being hinged at one end other equivalentmeans of hinging them together, holding them together and separatingthem are within the scope of this disclosure and the claims. Forexample, the bodies can be caged in by a group of splined shafts andmoved toward and away from each other without being necessarily pivoted.

Thus, according to the invention, there is provided a paper disc andring or other assembly machine embodying a valve as herein set forth anddescribed.

Referring now to the drawing, FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a valveaccording to the invention and FIGURE 2 is an isometric view of anassembly machine according to the invention embodying a vacuum breakervalve according to the invention. FIGURE 3 is an isometric view of amodification of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, elements 2 and 3 are valve bodies urgedtogether by the bias of spring 4. These bodies are drilled through at 5as shown by the dotted lines providing a continuous passageway throughbodies 2 and 3 when bodies 2 and 3 are in the position as shown. Thebodies are hinged at 6. In lieu of being hinged at 6, other means ofholding or guiding the bodies together can be used. However, hinging isnow preferred. Bodies 2 and 3 are possessed of smooth. or ground planarfaces so that interface designated as 7 provides a seal when the facesare together. An extension 8 is provided so that when body 2 is held infixed relation and extension 8 is urged upwardly, body 3 will movedownwardly, pivoting away from body 2, breaking the passageway 5 atinterface 7.

Referring now to FIGURE 2, stand 10 has respectively mounted thereonassembly component supply chute 11, rack and pinion gear assembly 12,and a vacuum breaker valve 13 according to the invention, body 2 ofwhich is held in fixed relation to sector gear by means of member 14.Sector gear 20 is held in a central neutral position by springs 36 and37 of stops 34 and 35. The assembly supply chute 11 contains, in thisembodiment, paper discs Rack and pinion gear assembly 12 is actuated byactuating arm 17 and bar 18 causing the pinion gear 19 to travel sectorgear 20. The pinion gear is fixed between bar 18 and drilled arm 21which is in fluid communication with pipe 22. Pipe 22 is incommunication by means of rubber hose connection, omitted for sake ofsimplicity on the drawing, with port 5 of valve 13. Port 23 of valve 13is connected to avacuum line. Suction acting in the swinging end of arm21 will be broken instantaneously and with certainty when valve 13 inactuated to move body 3 away from body 2.

A traveling plate 25 positions a ring 26 in manner to actuate arm 8 ofvalve 13 to open the valve when arm 8 is moved against the ring 26. Inoverall operation, actuating arm 17 pulls downwardly upon bar 18 whichrotates about pivot 33 causing pinion gear 19 to travel upwardly onsector gear 20 until arm 18 is against stop 30 swinging arm 21 up to aposition just below the asembly component supply chute 11. Continuedmovement of arm 18 causes the rack and pinion gear assembly 12 to movein an are about pivot 33 against spring 37 until limited by stop 35. Atthis time arm 21 is in its uppermost position and suction is beingprovided through pipe 22. A paper disc 16 is thus sucked against theupper end of arm 21. Next actuating arm 17 is moved upwardly causingpaper disc 16 to be pivoted about 33 until sector gear 12 comes to itscentral neutral position then it is rotated by pinion 19 and moveddownwardly into position with arm 18 against stop 32 just above theplace at which it is to be assembled with a ring 26. When paper disc 16has reached a position at which it can be released, a ring 26 will havebeen moved into position. Continued movement of arm 18 causes the rackand pinion gear assembly 12 to move in an are about pivot 33 againstspring 36 until limited by stop 34. Continued movement of arm 18 alsocauses arm 8 to move against ring 26 and actuate the valve and to breaksuction, whereupon disc 16 is deposited into ring 26.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that certain portions ofequipment of machinery, such as a cammed device for actuating arm 17,have been omitted for sake of simplicity. Further, it will be evidentthat various assembly machines or other suction operated devices can beoperated with the suction valve of the invention. Thus, the suctionvalve of the invention can be used wherever suction is to be broken fromtime to time, for example the valve can he applied to a machine whichsimply picks up, carries and deposits elsewhere any object such as amachine component, a building component or finished article ofmanufacture. All kinds of shaped articles of materials can be thustransported providing only that there be a mating of the surface thereofwith a correspondingly shaped surface at the end of the suction cup orarm, which in the case of the just described machine is arm 21.

Respecting such devices, the vacuum breaker valve of the invention inits now preferred form is possessed of an arm or extension such asdepicted at 8 in the figures of the drawing. Such an arm or feelerserves a dual purpose.

Thus, it serves to break vacuum by opening the valve. It also serves tosense whether a ring has been placed into a proper position to receivethe paper disc. If there is no ring, the machine will continue tooperate, arm 21 will swing up again and come back down again withoutever letting go paper disc 16 or picking up another disc until such timein fool proof manner another ring has been picked up and deposited inturn. One skilled in the art in possession of this disclosure and havingstudied the same and thus having appreciated the concepts involvedtherein will readily design other embodiments wherein to embody a valveaccording to the invention. He will understand that the valve accordingto the invention can have various shapes and sizes and can bedifferentially actuated. It is within the scope of the invention toactuate both bodies 2 and 3 of the valve rather than just one of them,depending upon the use to which the valve is to be put. Thus, in itsbroadest form the valve can have a fixed body and a movable body anddoes not require an arm such as at 8. It merely needs to be actuated tomove relative to each other bodies 2 and 3 to break the suction.

The vacuum breaker valve of the invention has been described in a nowpreferred form. While it is necessary that the movable elements orbodies of the valve engage each other so as to permit attaining adesired degree of suction for the operation with which the valve isused, it is within the scope of the invention to so shape the respectivefaces of the elements of the movable valve that purposes other thanmerely to seal sufiiciently to attain desired vaccum or suction areserved. Accordingly, while the smooth faces have herein been describedat times to be planar, it is within the scope of the invention to shapethem in any manner and in any form so long as when they are broughttogether they will function to provide the degree of sealing desired.

Further, it will be understood that the invention can be modifiedaccording to teachings of it herein so as to provide a different formfor the continuous passageway, that is to say to provide other than astraight line passageway through both of the element or bodies of thevalve. For example, operationally speaking, an equivalent structure forthe valve is one in which only one of the bodies or elements is drilledand the other provides merely a seal with which toopen or to close amovable wall of the passageway or a branch connecting to it.

Referring now to FIGURE 3, the entire drilling to form the passageway isaccomplished in element 2, ingress and egress for the fluid being pumpedbeing through the top wall 2a, upstanding wall 2b, and face 20. Inoperation at least one of elements 2 and 3 is moved about hinge 6breaking suction of vacuum at face 20. It is within the scope of theinvention to otherwise drill the elements. The passageway can beotherwise formed as one skilled in the art in possession of thisdisclourev having studied the same will understand.

Further, it will be evident to said skilled in the art that the portionof a face forming at least a portion of a wall of a passageway or branchthereof, may be variously shaped to insure the desired degree ofsealing.

Reasonable variation and modfication are possible within the scope ofthe foregoing disclosure, the drawing and the appended claims to theinvention, the essence of which is that there has been provided in anassembly machine a non-clogging vacuum breaker valve composedessentially of two bodies hinged or otherwise held and/ or guidedtogether, each body having a smooth or machined face. The faces being inengaging relationship with each other and at least one of said bodiesbeing drilled through and through at least one of said faces to providea continuous substantially leak proof passageway through at least one ofsaid bodies when said faces are engaged, the face drilled through whenonly one body is drilled through being in said one body, in a preferredform said bodies being spring biased together and hinged to permitpivoting at the hinge of said faces away from and toward each other.

I claim:

1. An assembly machine embodying a vacuum breaker valve said machineessentially comprising a support stand, an assembly component supplychute fixed to an upper end of said stand, a rack and pinion gearassembly pivotably afiixed to a midportion of said stand, and at thegear end thereof positioned below said assembly component supply chuteand arm mounted pivotably near its central portion upon said supportstand one end being engaged by an actuating arm and at its otherengaging said pinion gear and an extension also engaging said piniongear and adapted to move therewith said last extension being drilled andadapted to provide at its swinging end a suction and at one end of itsswing to reach to said assembly component supply chute and at the otherend of its swing to deposit an assembly component sucked from saidsupply chute into assembled relationship with another assemblycomponent; a vacuum breaker valve attached to said gear assembly andadapted to respond to break vacuum whenever a said another component isin position of receiving a first mentioned assembly component, thesuction through said vacuum breaker valve being connected to saidextension engaging and swinging by action of said pinion gear, saidvacuum breaker valve comprising in combination at least two elements,each of which is possessed of a machined face, said elements or bodiesbeing held in a manner to permit maintaining at will said faces inengaging relationship in closed position of the valve, at least one ofsaid bodies being drilled through and through at least one of said facesto provide a continuously substantially leak-proof passageway through atleast one of said bodies when said faces are engaged, the face drilledthrough when only one body is drilled through being in said body, saidbodies further being held to permit moving said faces toward and awayfrom each other.

2. An assembly machine embodying a vacuum breaker valve according toclaim 1, said machine essentially comprising a support stand, anassembly component supply chute fixed to an upper end of said stand, arack and pinion gear assembly pivotally affixed to a midportion of saidstand, and at the gear end thereof positioned below said assemblycomponent supply chute an arm mounted pivotally near its central portionupon said support stand one end being engaged by an actuating arm and atits other engaging said pinion gear and an extension also engaging saidpinion gear and adapted to move therewith, said last extension beingdrilled and adapted to provide at its swinging end a suction and at oneend of its swing to reach to said assembly component supply chute and atthe other end of its swing to deposit an assembly component sucked fromsaid supply chute into assembled relationship with another assemblycomponent; a vacuum breaker valve attached to said gear assembly andadapted to respond to break vacuum whenever a said another component isin position of receiving a first mentioned assembly component, thesuction through said vacuum breaker valve being connected to saidextension engaging and swinging by action of said pinion gear, saidvacuum breaker valve having both bodies drilled through and throughtheir respective faces to provide a continuous passageway when saidfaces are engaged.

3. An assembly machine embodying a vacuum breaker valve according toclaim 1, said machine essentially comprising a support stand, anassembly component supply chute fixed to an upper end of said stand, arack and pinion gear assembly pivotably affixed to a midportion of saidstand, and at the gear end thereof positioned below said assemblycomponent supply chute an arm mounted pivotably near its central portionupon said support stand one end being engaged by an actuating arm and atits other engaging said pinion gear and an extension also engaging saidpinion gear and adapted to move therewith, said last extension beingdrilled and adapted to provide at its swinging end a suction and at oneend of its swing to reach to said assembly component supply chute and atthe other end of its swing to deposit an assembly component sucked fromsaid supply chute into assembled relationship with another assemblycomponent; a vacuum breaker valve attached to said gear assembly andadapted to respond to break vacuum whenever a said another component isin position of receiving a first mentioned assembly component, thesuction through said vacuum breaker valve being connected to saidextension engaging and swinging by action of said pinion gear, saidvacuum breaker valve having only one of said bodies drilled to form saidpassageway, said one body being drilled straight through its machinedface and completely through and through its machined face and alsothrough another portion of it, the drilled portions merging to form saidcontinuous passageway while the other body of the valve in engagingposition of the faces serves to close the aperture at which said onebody is drilled through its face.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,497,283 6/1924 Petrequin25l-149.5 2,915,201 12/1959 Calefuff et al. 214-1 3.226,810 1/ 1966Beliveau 29-203 3,341,927 9/ 1967 Grainger.

THOMAS H. EAGER, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R.

